Closure



CLO$URE Filed Jan. 23, 1925 CHAR/.55 DCOLL/NS.

INVEN TOR.

ATTORNEY Patented May 31, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

CHARLES D. COLLINS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN CYANAMID COMPANY, OF YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

CLOSURE.

Application filed January 23, 1925. Serial No. 4,171.

This invention relates to closures, more particularly to a structure for use on sh1pping containers for highly volatile llquids.

Of .recent years the use of liquid hydro- 5 cyanic acid for the fumigation of citrus trees, factories, Warehouses, ships and the like for the eradication of insects, vermin and rodents, hasassumed considerable importance. The fumigant is produced at a l convenient place, is liquefied, filled into steel cylinders of a type generally used for liquefied gases, and is thus shipped to the point of use. Since hydrocyanic acid is an extremely poisonous material great care must be taken in transferring it from the cylinder to containers for immediate use to prevent the escape of even small quantities thereof into the air. To accomplish this the closure is provided with a valve controlled outlet for the liquid and an air inlet controlled by a spring-pressed valve, whereby air pressure may be placed on the liquid which is thus forced through the outlet into a suitable container, such as the tank of a portable fumi- 95 gating apparatus or direct to the fumigating lines. Such a closure structure is de cribed and claimed in the co-pending application of Kenneth F. Cooper, filed Feb. 17, 1923, Serial No. 619,7 46, for closures for shipping containers, and assigned to the American Cyanamid Company.

Being acid in character the fumigant has a corrosive action on the material of the cylinder, and especially .of the closure therefor. As a result, if a considerable length of time elapses between the date of shipment and the date of use of acylinder, as is often the case, the corrosion may be great enough to cause the valves in the closure to stick. This not only renders it difficult to open the cylinder and to force air thereinto to expel e fumigant but it-also introduces an ele-T ment of grave danger to the operator by reason of a sudden release of the valves due to manipulation and a consequent sudden release of a portion of the toxic fumigant into the air.

My invention is intendedto obviate these difficulties, it being among the objects thereoftoprovide a closure structure which shall prevent the accidental release of fumigantinto the air, and inwhich various parts may be readily removed for replacement.

In practicing my invention, I provide a closure of the type described in the aforesaid application of Cooper, having a fumigant or gas exit opening or outlet closed by a valvewhich is threaded into the body of the closure and is adapted to seat and thus cut oil the opening. Because of'the construction of the valve spindle, in unscrewing the same to allow the flow of fumigant, it hassometimes been completely disengaged from the threads allowing the fumigant to flow out into the air. To prevent thisI provide a shoulder on the spindle which is adapted to make contact with a stop member on the body of the closure and thus prevent complete removal thereof upon unscrewing.

The air valve structure beingcomposed of delicate parts, including a brassjspring and rubber valve seats, which were in contact with the fun'iigant, became corroded readily. To obviate this I insert a cut-olf valve of rugged design in the passage between the air valve and the fumigant, so that when the cylinder is not in use, there is no contact of fumigant with the air valve. I, furthermore, so construct the air valve itself thatif the parts thereof become dan'laged or corroded, it may be readily removed and replaced without any hazard to the operator.

In the accompanying drawings constituting apart hereof and in which like reference characters indicate like parts:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of my closure construction;

Fig. 2 is a vertical, cross-sectional View thereof taken along the line II-II of Fig. 1, and I Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III of Fig. 1.

I "provide a block or body member 1, the lower portion 2' of which is threaded and is adapted to fit into the cylinder, not shown, containing a volatile liquid or a liquefied gas. The upper portion thereof is provided with angular portions 3 for the reception of a suitable tool for threading block 1 into the cylinder. A threaded opening4 in the-lower end thereof is adapted to hold a pipe, not shown, which. extends to or near the bottom of the cylinder. The said openingconnects with opening, 5 by means of passage 6', the opeln en7d of which is permanently closed by a p u I A seat 9 is formed at the junction of'open ing 4 and passage 6 and a valve 10, having a threaded portion 11- cooperating with a correspondingly threaded portion of an no 7 able tool for actuating the valve 10 and the plug 18 provides a tight closure to prevent leakage during shipment and protects the valve stem from injury and dirt. A similar plug 19 is inserted into the threaded end 20 of opening 5 for the same purpose.

An opening 21 in the lower end of the block 1 connects with opening22 in the upper end' thereof by passage 23, the open end of which is permanently closed by plug 24.

' tom of said cylinder.

n placeof plug 31.

A valve seat 25 is formed at the junction of opening 21 and passage 23 and a valve 10', of the same construction in all essential respects as valve 10, Fig. 2, is adapted to seat thereon.

A sleeve 26, the upper portion 27 of which is threaded, is screwed into the threaded por- 7 tionofopening 22 until the lower end 28 of said sleeve issecurely seated on the walls of said opening to form a gas-tight seal. An air valve of suitable construction, such as the well-known Schrader valve, is inserted in sleeve 26, the upper end of which is provided with slots 30 to facilitate insertion and removal thereof. A protective plug 31 is threaded into the open end of opening 22.

The operation of the device is as follows: Assume that the block 1 is inserted in a cylinder of liquid hydrocyanic acid and a pipe, threaded into opening 4, extends to the bot- All the valves are closed and the various plugs are in place. To remove liquid from the cylinder the plugs 18, 19 and 31 are removed and a pipe'leadingv to the container into which the hydrocyanic acid is to be transferred is threaded into opening 20. A connection from a suitable air pump, usually manually operated, is

threaded into the u per end of opening 22 alve 10 is then opened and air pressure applied by means of the pump, forcing air through air valve 29, passage 23, opening 21, and over the surface of the liquid in the cylinder causing the same to flow out through opening}, passage 6 and opening 5 into the container, upon opening the valve 10. When a sufiiclent amount has been transferred the air pressure is removed, allowing the valve 29 to :close by the action of its spring, and valves 10 and 10 are seated'on their respective seats 9 and 25. The plugs 18, 19 and 31 are then threaded into place.

forced the same completely out of the block not only causing a loss of valuable material but endangering the lives of those in the vicinity. It will be noted that because of the construction of my improved valve, it is impossible during the manipulation thereof to cause the same to be completely removed from the threads. When the valve is opened by turning, the threaded portion 11 is moved upwardly until. the shoulder 13 strikes the lower metal washer 14 which is held firmly in place by the packing gland 16 and acts as a stop, thus making it impossible to remove the same completely, either by further turning of stem 12 or by pressure of gas in the cylinder.

' By providing a cut-off valve 10' in the air inlet opening, as shown in Fig. 3, the access of the corrosive fumigant to the air valve is entirely prevented and even if some of the fumigant should come in contact with the air valve and corrode it or if the valve should deteriorate by weathering or from other causes, it is an extremely simple matto maintain the closure in working order.

Although I have described my invention setting forth the details of a single embodiment thereof, I am not limited thereto. For instance, I may eliminate the Schrader valve from the block 1 in order to avoid any possibility of corrosion thereof, and rely upon valve 10' and plu '31 to prevent leaka 0 during storage an shipment. In use, t e plug 31 is removed and a Schrader valve threaded in its place and connectedv to a source of air pressure. The operation is identical with the form of closure shown in Figures 2 and 3.

What I claim is:

1. A closure for shipping containers comprising a block having an exit opening and a spring valved air inlet opening, and valves seated in said block adapted to close olf said openings. I

2. A closure for shipping containers comprising a block having an exit opening and 1,eso,7es

a spring valve air inlet opening and valves seated 1n said block adapted to close of said openings, said valves being contained prising a block having an exit opening and a spring valved 'air inlet opening, valves seated in said block adapted to close ofi said openin s, said valves being contained within the bod of said block, and plugs for capping said openings and valves.

4. A closure for shipping containers comprising a block having an exit opening and a springvalved inlet-opening, a valve adapted to close off said exit opening includin a portion threaded into said block and having a valve body formed at the lower end cooperating with a valve seat in the block, and means within the block for preventing complete "removal of said portion. 5. A closure for shipping containers comprising a block having an exit opening and a spring valved air inlet opening, a valve adapted to close ofi said exit openin including a portion threaded into said b ock and having a valve body formed at the lower end coo erating with a valve seat in the block means on said portion and entirely within the block for preventing; complete removal of said portion. a

6. A closure for shipping containers coniprising a block havingan exit opening and a spring valved air inlet opening, a valve adapted to close off said exit openin including a portion threaded into said lock and having a valve body formed at the lower end co-operating with a valve seat in the block and a shoulder on said portion cooperating with a stop in said blockfor preventing completeremoval of said portion. 7. In a closure for shipping containershaving a valved exit openin an air inlet structure comprising a threa ed opening in the closure, a sleeve threaded into said opening, and an air valve in' said sleeve,.whereby the entire air valve structure may. be removed for replacement. r

'8. In a closure for shipping containers having a valved exit openin an air inlet structure comprising a threa ed opening in ing, and an air valve in said sleeve, the lower end of said sleeve forming a as-tight joint with the walls of said threa ed opening.

9. A closure for shipping containers comprising a block having anexit opening and an air inlet opening, valves seated in said block adapted to close off said openings, and means for inserting a spring valve in said air inlet opening.

10. A closure for shipping containers COIEPIlSlIIg a block having an exit opening an said block adapted to close on said openings, plugs for capping said openings and valves and means for. inserting a spring valve in said air inlet opening.

the closure, a sleeve threaded into said openan .air inlet opening, valves seated .in

I 11. A closure for shipping containers.

comprising a block having an exit opening and an air inlet openin valves seated in said blockadapted to c ose 01]? said openings, plugs for capping said openings and valves and means for inserting a spring valve in said air inlet opening in place 0 the plug therefor.-

12. A closure for shippingcontainers comprising a block having an exit opening and a spring valved air inlet opening,- and valves seated in said block adapted to close off said openings, said valves and openin being at the top and bottom only of said block.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 21st day of January, 1925.

CHARLES COLLINS. 

